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Author |
Topic: PEG Tube Removal |
nettypoho
Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Member # 194
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Greetings all,
I'm in the middle of my treatments now. I had a round of chemo
last week that really knocked me down....thank goodness for
my mom and husband because they kept me from going back to
the hospital. (i was quite ill) The radiation is going ok....the
doctors are still waiting for the side effects to show up.
For now I just have redness on my neck, no sore mouth or sore
throat. Hopefully it will stay that way!!
My new tongue is coming to life, and the doc can't believe
it's happening so fast. He even poked it with a stick to see
if I could feel it...and I did! The cool thing is that I'm
eating anything I want now. I wasn't expecting to do this
until xmas, but all of the prayers behind me are really working.
I also am talking fine, and can even sing again.
My question is...has anyone had a PEG removed? How do they
do it? I forgot to ask my doctors and want to be mentally
prepared for the next torture they inflict on me. They aren't
always the nicest folks.
Thanks,
--------------------
I survived because I kept hope alive!!! Live, laugh, love
and keep fighting hard.
Jeanette
Posts:
52 | From: Columbus OH | Registered: Jun
2002 | |
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CynthiaS
Senior Member (75+ posts)
Member # 161
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Nettypoho-
So glad to hear that you are tolerating the treatments so
well. What is your secret???
My poor mother's mouth has been awful since about the second
week of radiation. Thrush, sores on her tongue, and generally
her mouth feels like it's on fire. Nothing really seems to
help. Are you having IMRT as opposed to external beam radiation?
On the flip side, my mother has breezed through six chemo
treatments. The only side effect has been decreased blood
counts for which she is getting Neupogen and Procrit. Monday
she will start bi-weekly injections of Aranesp. Apparently
this is the latest, greatest for boosting red blood count
and is longer acting. Anybody have any experience with it?
Keep dazzling your doctors - it keeps them on their toes!
Cynthia
Posts:
79 | From: Florida | Registered: May
2002 | |
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Brian
Hill
Administrator
Member # 4
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Removing the peg takes about 30 seconds; I actually removed
my own since I was in Santa Fe, a long ways from MDACC. Some
like mine have a little thin wire in them that causes the
other end to "pigtail" up once they have put it in. Cut that
little wire and the tube inside straightens out and you just
pull it out. A 2X2 gauze and a piece of tape for one day covered
things up, and that was it. No leaks, no fuss, no muss. Other
types have a small, inflated balloon at the end that keeps
them in. Deflate the balloon and the tube comes right out.
While I am not advocating that you take your own out, I mention
all this to illustrate that it is no big deal. I had mine
in for about 8 months after the completion of all the treatments...
it was that long before I was able to get enough nutrition
through my trashed mouth and throat. I'm glad to hear that
your mouth hasn't developed mucositis yet, but in my case
it really didn't show up until about the third week. Also,
many get a longer course of radiation than 4 weeks, and with
your short schedule, you may not have as many of the side
effects that you read about from others here. Let's hope that
is the case.
Posts:
368 | From: Laguna Beach, CA | Registered:
Mar 2002 | |
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Donna
Platinum Member (100+ posts)
Member # 33
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Netty.........You sound so good! Good news about your "new"
tongue too. I am still amazed at how well I can talk after
losing over two thirds of my tongue, and the more you talk,
the better it gets! I had about 6-8 months of speech therapy
just to fine tune things and to help with some swallowing
issues I had but after than I was good to go.
Brians right about the PEG tube...snip, snip and it's gone!
Absolutely no pain involved there!
It was good hearing from you....continue to keep us all posted
on your progress.....the same goes with all the others going
through treatment....it's good hearing everyone's progress.
Although I don't know any of you personally, I read this board
almost daily and I sometimes feel like I do know you. At least
I know and understand what you are going through. Sincerely,
Donna
Posts:
129 | From: Plymouth, Minnesota | Registered:
Mar 2002 | |
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nettypoho
Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Member # 194
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Thanks everyone.
I was worried about the removal....there's not much information
out there and what I had found before was scary.
I just hit my halfway mark with the radiation treatments today,
and next week have my last chemo. I can't believe this is
almost done...it has flown by.
--------------------
I survived because I kept hope alive!!! Live, laugh, love
and keep fighting hard.
Jeanette
Posts:
52 | From: Columbus OH | Registered: Jun
2002 | |
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